Cooper becomes a principal partner of FIA European Rallycross Championship

Thursday 28 February 2013

Cooper Tire Europe will be a principal partner of the FIA European Rallycross Championship in 2013. The new agreement will also see Cooper increase its motor racing involvement in key territories, including Germany, Finland and Sweden.~As a principal partner to the Championship, Cooper will benefit from track branding at all RallycrossRX Championship venues, as well as event programme advertising and an allocated area for on-site promotions. Exposure will be further increased as hyperlinks will be added to the official website and social media channels, while the Cooper logo will be present on all interview and press backdrops, as well as on the podium.Previously, Cooper’s Avon Tyres brand was the tyre of choice for European Rallycross drivers, having supplied tyres to series champions for the past two decades – a trend which is expected to continue under the Cooper name.The agreement comes as the manufacturer has also decided to sponsor rising star, Timmy Hansen, in the championship for 2013. Twenty-year-old Hansen, who is a member of the FIA Institute Young Driver Academy, will contest a full season with Hansen Motorsport, following a strong debut race in Finland last season.Hansen Motorsport - managed by Kenneth Hansen, a 14-time FIA European Rallycross Champion and father of Timmy Hansen - is one of the most respected teams in the series, which is a unique fusion of rallying and circuit racing.Sarah McRoberts, Marketing Communications Manager for Cooper Tire Europe, said, “The opportunity to become a principal partner to the European Rallycross Championship, which is undergoing significant growth at present, is extremely exciting to us and it provides a great platform from which to continue our growth within Europe. “Avon Tyres has now established itself as the preferred tyre in GT Championships across Europe and we’re very keen for the Cooper brand to become similarly well represented in motorsport as we look to raise our profile in the European market.“This year will also see Cooper sponsor Timmy Hansen and we’re very excited about this. Timmy comes from a family rich in European Rallycross heritage and he already has some solid racing experience, having raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup series, as well as making an appearance at the Finnish round of the European Rallycross Championship last year. His promise has been underlined by his membership of the FIA Institute Young Driver Academy and we expect him to be strong this season.”As part of the partnership, Cooper will provide permanent drivers of the RallycrossRX series with three sets of new tyres.Martin Anayi, Managing Director of RallycrossRX, a division of IMG Motorsports, said: “We are very pleased to have Cooper on board with us this year as a principal partner. Their experience in European motorsport is a huge asset to the series and the quality of product they will offer our permanent drivers will certainly benefit the standard of the competition.”The European Rallycross Championship will be contested over nine rounds this season, with the famed Lydden Hill circuit playing host to the 2013 curtain-raiser over Easter weekend (March 31-April 1).